My thoughts on the Phillies season.

Results tagged ‘ On-Base Plus Slugging Percentage ’

It has just been announced that Phils’ catcher Carlos Ruiz has been tested positive for using Adderall, an amphetamine commonly used to help control attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), as it help the user stay focus. This is not a steroid, but it’s use is banned by MLB. This is the second time that he has tested positive for using the stimulant, which will not lead to an automatic suspension the first time it is detected, as it would have if he had been using steroids, and will lead to him being suspended for 25 games, a suspension that will begin at the start of the 2013 season.

Ruiz, who has apologized for using the substance, and have said that he will take his punishment, was one of the few bright spots in the Phils’ lousy 2012 season. During the season, in which he played in 114 games, Ruiz batted .325, hitting 121 for 372, with 32 doubles, 16 home runs and 68 RBIs, with a .394 on-base percentage, a .540 slugging percentage and a .935 on-base-plus-slugging percentage.

During the suspension, Erik Kratz will likely be the team’s starting catcher. Kratz, who joined the club late in the season, appeared in 50 games, batting .248 with nine doubles, nine home runs and 26 RBIs. I hope you’re ready to step up again, Erik.

Several days ago, the Phils signed infielder Kevin Fransden to a one-year contract worth $850,ooo, thus avoiding arbitration.

Frandsen, who had earlier in the season signed a minor league deal with the team, joined the main club around mid-season, after third baseman Placido Polanco went down with an injury. Frandsen would appear in 55 games, playing mostly third base, batting .338/.383/.451/.834 (66 for 195), hitting 10 doubles, three triples and two home runs, knocking in 14 RBIs while he scored 24 runs. He also had nine walks during his short season with the main club.

The Phils will probably used Frandsen in a platoon situation at third base with a returning Freddy Galvis, thanks to rather slim pickings among this year’s crop of third base free agents.

The Phils now have only two other arbitration cases left to deal with, left hander Antonio Bastardo and outfielder Nate Schierholtz, which the team should be able to take care of before the start of the new year. This should leave the Phils able to concentrate on looking for a center fielder and a veteran relief pitcher to help out in a bullpen presently made up of mostly still young pitchers.

Phils’ shortstop Jimmy Rollins have just won his fourth Gold Glove Award. Jimmy, who have won previous gold gloves in 2007-09, with his win is now ranked third in franchise history with the most gold gloves won by a Phil, trailing only Mike Schmidt (10) and Garry Maddos (8).

During the season, Rollins, who continued to be an outstanding defensive player, only batted .250, with a .427 Slugging Percentage and a very low .316 On-Base Percentage (.743 OPS), as he went 158 for 632, including 33 doubles, 5 triples and 23 home runs, knocking in 68 runs, while scoring 102 times, as he appeared in 156 games. He also had 30 stolen bases, being caught only 5 times during the season.

Carlos Ruiz missed winning a gold glove as he was beaten out by the Cardinals’ Yadier Molina.

The Phils have earlier this week (Monday) announced that they have accepted Carlos Ruiz’s $5 million dollar option for 2013, so he’ll be staying with the ballclub for at least another season. Carlos, who played in 114 games, thanks in part to being on the DL twice during the season, had a .325 batting average (121 for 372) with a .935 OPS, as he had 32 doubles and 16 home runs, while knocking in 68 RBIs, while scoring 56 runs.

The Phils also announced that they are decling Placido Polanco’s option, instead buying out his option at $1 million, making him a free agent, as they pursues other options for third base. The Phils have also declined both Jose Contreas and Ty Wigginton’s options, buying them out at $500,000 dollars each, also making them free agents. Juan Pierre and Brian Schneider have also become free agents, as the Phils start making changes to their roster for the 2013 season, hoping to make themselves more competitive for next year’s pennant race .

The Phils have just announced that they have signed the last of their arbitration-eligible players, as Hunter Pence have agreed to a one-year deal worth $10.4 million dollars.

Pence, who have come to the Phils in a mid-season trade with the Astros, played in 54 games with the Phils, hitting .324 (67-207) with a .954 OPS, as he hit 12 doubles, 2 triples and 11 home runs, knocking in 35 RBIs, while scoring 35 times. During the 2011 season, he would play in 154 total games, hitting .314 (190-606) with an .871 OPS, as he hit 38 doubles, 5 triples and 22 home runs, scoring 84 runs, while he knocked in 97 RBIs. He would also walk 56 times.

With the Pence signing, the Phils have all of their players signed for the coming season, although they might still be looking for someone to replace Wilson Valdez as a multi-purpose infielder.

The Phillies (5-6, 4th) plan to conclude their four-games home stand with the Padres (9-4, 2nd National League West) with a game tonight, weather permitting. The game will be played at Citizens Bank Park and will start at 7:05 pm Eastern. The Phillies’ starter will be the ageless veteran Jamie Moyer (1-1, 6.55), who is coming off a victory against the Nationals back on April 13, as he pitched six good innings, giving up four runs on eight hits and two walks, while striking out five, in the Phils’ emotional 9-8 victory, on the day that Harry Kalas died. He will be going for his second straight win, which trying to cut down on the number of runs that he has so far given up this season. The Padres will counter with Kevin Correia (0-1, 4.09), who is coming off a lost to the Mets on April 15, where he went five innings, giving up two runs on five hits and two walks, as he struck out five, in the Padres’ 7-2 lost. He will be trying for his first win of the year. The Phillies hope to end the four-games series with the Padres at two-wins apiece, before they host the Milwaukee Brewers for a three-games series, starting tomorrow night.

Raul Ibanez, after only two weeks being a member of the Phillies, is presently a hot man. At the moment, he is hitting 17 for 44 in eleven games played, for a .386 batting average, which places him fifth in batting in the National League. Ibanez has scored twelve runs, placing him in a tie for fifth place. His seventeen hits puts him in a tie for sixth place. He is leading the league in both total bases (38) and slugging percentage (.864), while he is also tied for first place in home runs (5), is tied for sixth in triples (1), is tied for eleventh in doubles (4), is tied for thirteenth in RBIs (11), and is tied for nineteenth in stolen bases (1). His On-Base plus Slugging Percentage (OPS) is presently at 1.301, while his On-Base Percentage is at .438. He has also fielded left field rather well, despite yesterday’s miscue, and has also run the bases rather well. Ibanez is, so far, making a real good impression on the city of Philadelphia, as he is making Reuben Amaro, Jr’s free agent signing look golden.

Edit: The Phillies have just announced that their game with the Padres has been rained out. There has been no announcement when the game will be made up. The Phillies’ next game will be played tomorrow night at 7:05 pm Eastern against the Milwaukee Brewers.

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